A wide variety of processes use cross flow reactors to provide for contact between a fluid and a solid. The solid usually comprises a catalytic material on which the fluid reacts to form a product. The processes cover a range of processes, including hydrocarbon conversion, gas treatment, and adsorption for separation.
Cross flow reactors are often radial flow reactors and are constructed such that the reactor has an annular structure and that there are annular distribution and collection devices. The devices for distribution and collection incorporate some type of screened surface. The screened surface is for holding catalyst beds in place and for aiding in the distribution of pressure over the surface of the reactor to facilitate radial flow through the reactor bed. The screen can be a mesh, either wire or other material, or a punched plate. For a moving bed, the screen or mesh provides a barrier to prevent the loss of solid catalyst particles while allowing fluid to flow through the bed. Solid catalyst particles are added at the top, and flow through the apparatus and removed at the bottom, while passing through a screened-in enclosure that permits the flow of fluid over the catalyst. The screen is preferably constructed of a non-reactive material, but in reality the screen often undergoes some reaction through corrosion, and over time problems arise from the corroded screen or mesh.
The screens or meshes are used to hold the catalyst particles within a bed and are sized to have openings sufficiently small that the particles cannot pass through. The openings may be elongated slots having a sufficiently narrow spacing such that the particles cannot pass through the slots. An example of a screen design for a cross flow reactor can be found in U.S. Patent No. 6,224,838, showing the design of conduits, having a scallop shape for cross flow that allows a catalyst or adsorbent to flow downward through the reactor. A significant problem is the corrosion of meshes or screens used to hold catalyst beds in place, or for the distribution of reactants through a reactor bed. Corrosion can plug openings to a screen or mesh, creating dead volumes where fluid does not flow. Corrosion and erosion can also create larger openings where the catalyst particles can then flow out of the catalyst bed with the fluid and be lost to the process increasing costs. This produces unacceptable losses of catalyst, and increases costs because of the need to add additional makeup catalyst.
The design of reactors to overcome these limitations can save significantly on downtime for repairs and on the loss of catalyst, which is a significant portion of the cost of processing hydrocarbons.